Crisis of the Welfare State: An Analysis of the Responses from Social Work

Abstract

Below we present part of a larger study on the responses that social work professionals are giving n the current times of socio-economic crisis. The study has been developed in the province of Seville (Andalusia, Spain), through interviews with professionals who carry out social work both in the public administration and third sector organizations. The information has been analysed by the program for qualitative data analysis ATLAS.TI which helped to categorise information and the declarations of said professionals. The investigation shows us that the main responses that professionals are giving in the context of social cutbacks and lack of investment in social contexts are linked to the development of social work which looks more to society and the community to develop greater awareness and reporting of incidents, more networking with other social agents and group social work. Throughout the article we compare these results to research the origins of social work as a profession, it’s mission and objectives, we question the extent to which these sources are now recovering following the crisis, and how from this point of view, the crisis may be an opportunity for the correct recovery of social work (diverging from the idea of social work as a professional activity related to management and bureaucracy).